This Financial Post article touches on many of the main issues facing geothermal energy development in Canada. CanGEA is referenced throughout with our main objectives for geothermal policy highlighted. It is great to see the honourable Marg McCuaig-Boyd seriously considering geothermal energy as a solution to a growing problem.

The provincial government is concerned taxpayer money may be needed to clean up after the energy industry if the number of idle wells continues to grow. Alberta Energy Minister Marg McCuaig-Boyd said her government is developing a plan to tackle “this growing issue and that geothermal power would play a role in the government’s plan to transition away from coal-fired power and toward renewables."

McCuaig-Boyd also said Alberta is considering whether to allow oil and gas companies to count oil wells that are turned into geothermal wells as productive assets.

CanGEA’s Thompson, however, said she does not want a system where oil and gas companies can indefinitely avoid cleaning up their oil and gas wells. She also wants the government to be picky about which oil and gas wells are converted into geothermal energy use, so that only those that can be productive geothermal wells are candidates for conversions.